Hi,

Well, I managed to blow up my not very old XO type 2 rear mech at bikepark on Monday 🙁 I’d been really happy with its performance up until then, but a bit unsure about what to go for as a replacement. Basically, the carbon pulley arm sheared landing a mid sized drop, pinging itself all over the trail and bending my mech hanger in the process!! Seems a bit lame on a nearly £200rrp mech….I’m wondering if it’s worth emailing SRAM about it, not fit for purpose?? Anyway…I need to get something sorted as I’m bikeless atm… I’m not gonna spend silly money again, thinking either X9 type 2 or maybe going shimano instead with either Zee or Xt Shadow+, I can get a rear shifter for similar price to SRAM rear. I’ve always been a SRAM fan until this happened, but new shimano looks decent. Anyone run both, thoughts please….

Oh, I’m running 1×10 34 nw with 12×36 cassette btw…cheers

Been happy with my X9 paired with XO shifter. Seems to work fine and be robust.

if you didnt hit something then was the chain to short?

chain growth can be a mech killer.

Zee works great and only £40ish to replace if you do kill another.

If it broke landing a drop, I bet you 10p they say the chain was wrong. But, worth contacting them anyway, I’ve heard of them replacing this kit even for blatantly non-warranty jobs as goodwill

Expensive mechs for anything but xc race bikes always seem kind of insane to me, I shuddered putting £90 of saint on my big bike but at least it’s strong.

Personally I was a 9-speed SRAM dude but Shimano blatantly copied all the best points of SRAM when they went 10-speed so now I’m on saint and XT, it is superb.

if you didnt hit something then was the chain to short?

This, sounds awfully like the chain was too short, particularly if it took the hanger with it.
I’m not 100% clear from your OP, but you are of course aware that if you change to Shimano you’ll need a new gear lever too?
I’d just get a new X9 and double check the chain length with all the air out of your shock and the suspension fully compressed.

Don’t know about the X0 but my X9 type 2 cage doesn’t go as ‘straight’ along the chain as a non clutch type mech when in the large rear cog (running a One Up 42t), so not only did I have to allow for suspension compression the chain had to be longer to cope with the fact that the cage/mech wouldn’t swing as far forward as a normal mech

X9 type 2 cage doesn’t go as ‘straight’ along the chain as a non clutch type mech

This is true and it’s a potential gotcha when upgrading the mech. You need to actually check with the chain through the mech.

Zee works and is just nicely out of the way with it’s super short cage. I have on both my MTBs

Zee for me. Type 2 sram mechs are known for eating cables (they snap at the turn point). My mates out in nz this winter were doing a cable every 1.5 weeks on their dh bikes.

My mates out in nz this winter were doing a cable every 1.5 weeks on their dh bikes.

That was summer Steve, it’s the other way round up here on top of the world ;), one cable in 1 year on 2 bikes with X9 so not as worried.

I would go for the zee unless you plan to go for a 40t then it might be worth getting SLX or XT.

When I blew up my XT 10 speed rear mech on a rock when landing one of the small drops on Jacob’s Ladder I replaced it with Deore+ for £20.

zee stuff is ace, XT quality but stronger

SRAM X7 type 2 as standard on my new bike. Shite.

Running the Zee, 1×8 and it works great. The jockey wheels are a little noisy with an 8 speed chain but then I can’t complain, I have yet to drop the chain.

x9 and xo shifter, no problems, wouldn’t go back to shimano, the sram stuff seems more metal/robust compared to plastic shimano

Thanks guys, yeah, I had shortened the chain by a link or two as I’d just gone 1x a few days before, but it was long enough with deflated shock on full squish, reckon I coulda gone a link or two less! Also, I was mid block not big big, so shoulda had some slack if anything. Any chance the clutch froze or something, not allowing for chain growth? Had a bit of clunking from it last week or two under heavy braking, could it be related? I’d Defo go a shorter cage next time and avoid carbon too, alloy arm woulda probably just bent! Tempted by Zee mech and maybe a saint shifter? Either that or go an X9, but short or mid?

I don’t usually bother with too much bling either, the Dixon came with an co that I sold and bought the type 2 for same price online! Seen X9 for £55 on wiggle, but out of stock except short cage. Anyone got owt I might be interested in?